Help - our gosling hatched

[hillbillymom]

Our little gosling hatched a few minutes ago (we assisted a bit, but it did most of it on its own). We are concerned because it can't seem to get the bottom part of the egg off, and when I peeked, it looked like something (the yolk perhaps) is still attached to its tummy almost between its legs. What should we do? It is thrashing around a bit, and we don't want it to get hurt.
Thanks!

 

[kburen]

From what I've read everyone else say....as long as it's just like a chicken....leave it alone and it'll absorb the yolk. But....I'm no expert so I'm sure someone else will pop up soon.

 

[jkcove08]

Leave it be. If you remove the bottom part of the shell it probably wont make it. I have help chicks, ducklings and goslings before and never take the bottom part of the shell off. If you do it will actually probably bleed to death. It will thrash around a little and probably rest a lot. It should get it off by morning. These little guys need a lot of rest time to so dont get real worried. Jenn

 

[luvmychicknkids]

I had to help my babies hatch and had some absorption issues because of low humidity. what I did was wrap them pretty snug in a wet cloth inside the incubator. This kept them from hurting themselves while it absorbed. I would try it (not sure how well it will work with a gosling) and leave him for several hours and check again.

 

[hillbillymom]

It has now managed to get the bottom part of the shell off. There is a thin strand of something still connected to the shell, and its belly area appears distended. I saw this in one of the turkeys we recently hatched, and it went away. What is the distended area? The "belly button"?

How long should we keep our little gosling in the incubator. It seems awfully big in there? And, can it go in a brooder with 4 chicks and 2 turkeys? These are all recent hatches (within the last week).
Thanks so much for all of the great advice. This is our first time incubating anything, and we are pretty clueless.

 

[CindyS]

You should leave him in there until he is is dry and peppy. Most goslings when they first hatch have a time keeping their head up like its too heavy. About a day and he should be fluffed and alert. Make sure his navel has closed. You do not want the chicks and poults pecking at it.

 

[hillbillymom]

Is our gosling better off in a brooder with the chicks and poults (1 week old) or in a box by itself?
And we are really concerned about the distended/swollen red lump around the navel area. What is it, and what do we do about it?
Help!

 

[CindyS]

Is it raw and bloody or just red skin?, Its probably just the spot where the yolk sack went in, if there is no raw area, and he is up and walking, it is safe to put him with the other critters.